Adding and Integrating an Automated Reach On-Call Schedule

In Specialty Answering Service's Basic Agent system, Reach On-Call is a completely automated feature that ensures you are always getting your messages in real-time. In this tutorial, you'll learn about:

Adding a Reach Message
Setting Schedule Parameters
Integrating Your Schedule
Checking the Reach Log

Users will not be able to hard-code an ROC like in the original software. All ROCs must use the portal schedule, as the system will operate using the integration link.

Adding a Reach Message

The first step in utilizing an automated Reach schedule is to add a Reach Message. This creates the type and body of the message that the system will play, read aloud, or text to you and/or your on-call staff.

NOTE: Before creating your Reach Message, it's a good idea to have your on-call staff members save your SAS forwarding number as a contact in their phone, so they always know who the messages are coming from.

1. From the On-Call page in your SAS Desk portal, scroll down to the Reach Messages section.

2. Click the green Add Reach Message button to add a new message.

3. In the window that pops up on your screen, add the Name of your Reach Message. To help you stay organized, this should match the name of your Reach On-Call schedule (e.g., ABC Plumbing Reach Schedule).

4. Next, choose how you would like your on-call staff to be notified of the message. You can choose between a Recording, Text to Speech, and SMS. If you plan to use different automated reach options, you may want to include the type of reach message in the name.

Note that with any Reach Message you choose, the system will still follow the Type and Queue parameters you've already set in your schedule.

Recording

Note with a Recording Reach, if call recording is not active on the line, the system will not be able to send anything.

If this option is chosen, all staff members will be called with the following message in the order that they are scheduled: "You have a new automated on call notification from SAS. Please press 1 to accept the message."

If the first recipient presses 1, the system will play the full recording of the call for them. If the first recipient doesn't press anything, the system will follow the dialing order and queue time to dial the next recipient. If no one accepts the call, the system will result in a failed reach and stop dialing. Users can repeat the message by pressing 1 after it's been relayed, or press 2 to dial out to the customer.

Note that if you press 2 to dial the customer back, the system will dial the Caller ID of the initial call. Additionally, this time is billed and logged as Patch time.

Text to Speech

If this option is chosen, the system will call all numbers in the array with the audio message, "You have a new automated on-call notification from SAS. Please press 1 to accept the message." If the recipient presses 1, the Text to Speech system will read the message created by the user. Users can repeat the message by pressing 1 after it's been relayed, or press 2 to dial out to the customer.

Note that if you press 2 to dial the customer back, the system will dial the Caller ID of the initial call. Additionally, this time is billed and logged as Patch time.

To create the message, select the applicable script from the Script drop down. Once a script is selected, the Available fields from within that script will populate. Simply click any field, or drag and drop, and it will populate in the Message box on the right. This can include details such as the caller's name and number, as well as any personalized language that you would like to include.

SMS

If this option is chosen, a text message is sent to all numbers in the array at the same time. The message will say: "A new urgent message has been created. Reply with 'OK' to accept." Once accepted, the system will relay the custom text message that has been created in the portal.

The initial alert message will keep sending over the queue interval until all attempts are exhausted. If any of the recipients reply with 'OK', that recipient receives the message with the call details. Once a message has been accepted, any other recipients will automatically be notified that the message has been picked up along with the number of the phone that picked it up.

To create the message containing the call details, select the applicable script from the Script drop down. Once a script is selected, the Available fields from within that script will populate. Simply click any field, or drag and drop, and it will populate in the Message box on the right. This can include details such as the caller's name and number, as well as any personalized language that you would like to include.

If the SMS reach is exhausted and no one has claimed the message, the message can still be claimed with an 'OK' for a few minutes. After the relay window closes, replying with 'OK' will tell the recipient that the message is no longer available for pickup, and they will need to check their portal for message details.

If an on-call contact responds to an automated SMS message notification with anything other than ‘OK’, such as STOP or END or QUIT, they have just blocked the SAS forward number on their phone. To unblock the message notifications, they need to text either START or YES to their forward number. For more information, check out these instructions.

Serial SMS

If this option is chosen, a text message is sent to each scheduled employee individually. The message will say: "A new urgent message has been created. Reply with 'OK' to accept." Once accepted, the system will relay the custom text message that has been created in the portal.

To create the message containing the call details, select the applicable script from the Script drop down. Once a script is selected, the Available fields from within that script will populate. Simply click any field, or drag and drop, and it will populate in the Message box on the right. This can include details such as the caller's name and number, as well as any personalized language that you would like to include.

5. When you are finished creating your Reach Message, click Save.

NOTE: The only way to stop an active Reach is to accept either the phone call or the text with the message. Since Reaches happen automatically through the system, users cannot call their own line to have the agents stop it for them.

Setting Schedule Parameters

Now that you've created your Reach Message, you'll need to add it to your Schedule's settings. If you haven't already added a schedule, click Add schedule on the right, and follow these instructions.

1. Otherwise, click Settings next to the Reach schedule you wish to update.

2. When the Settings window opens, scroll down to the bottom where it says Enable automated reach. Click the checkbox, and select the Reach Message that you created for this specific schedule.

If you have multiple ROC schedules with multiple Reach Messages, double check to ensure that you are pairing the correct Reach Message with the correct Reach On-Call Schedule.

3. Then, click Save.

Integrating your ROC Schedule

When you are finished updating your schedule, it will need to be integrated into your script.

You can update the reach schedule at any time and do not need to reintegrate the link unless you have changed the fields included in the Reach Message.

1. Next to the applicable schedule, click the green Integrate button.

2. From the pop-up, right click and Copy the link address.

3. From the Scripts page in your portal, click on the Active script where you'll be integrating the ROC schedule, and click the Edit your script button in the upper right corner.

4. Then, locate the path where you want the ROC added, and click the forward arrow until you've reached the Outcome step.

5. Click the gray Message icon button to bring up the editing screen.

6. In the URL text box, paste the integration link that you copied from the portal.

7. When you are finished, click the blue checkmark below the Outcome. Then, click Publish Changes to save your changes.

Once you save your changes, you will only be able to see or update the link in Edit mode since the ROC is fully automated.

Checking the Reach Log

Once your On-Call schedule is configured and integrated, you can view your on-call activity from the past 30 days by downloading the Automated Reach Log at the bottom of the On Call page.

Once downloaded, you'll have a CSV download that includes all the data sent to the automated notification system within the last 30 days.

Congratulations! You've just set up an automated Reach On Call. Please reach out to our Customer Support team at (866) 688-8912 or email us at service@specialtyansweringservice.net so we can finalize the changes.